Atlas Online - Nick Venom (readnow TXT) 📗

do, sir?” She asked, caressing the part of her face that the butler slapped. 

“How dare you run your mouth with unnecessary remarks, Pack your bags and leave, I will inform the king about your actions.” The butler shouted in her face. The maid’s eyes bubbled with tears, turning around and running off. The nearby nobles and staff looked over at the situation with confusion, not understanding the significance of the expulsion. 

The butler took a deep breath in before turning around. “I apologize for the disgusting sight you’d witnessed.” He bowed his head. “You may enter.” Tin nodded. He thanked the butler before masking the siblings’ ears with the hats. They then entered the castle. 

Inside, Tin wandered around the humongous room, filled with nobles wearing their best ball attire. They all glanced at him strangely, almost sizing the benefits they could gain from a friendship. The atmosphere was suffocating, to say the least. 

After five minutes of walking around and stealing bits of food from the tables, Tin met up with June. June looked at him, licking her lips. She showed off her violet floral dress to Tin, who gawked at the sights for a moment before---awkwardly---looking away. 

Adam Hitch was by her side, looking away at some unseen force.

“It’s nice to see you, Tin.” She glanced at the siblings. “And your comrades.”

“It’s… nice? To see you.” He looked around, receiving glares from jealous men. They were all aiming for June, without knowing they had no chance with her.

“Oh, I see that you aren’t pleased with our reunion, but you accepted my invitation. Tin… are you a tsundere?” She asked, teasing him more. 

Tin diverted the question away with a quick cough. “Anyways, why did you invite me? It can’t be that you wanted to just talk.”

She smiled. “A clever boy, one of the Seven Guardians will be appearing at this ball. That’s why so many nobles came here. They all want a peek of a Guardian.”

“A Guardian?” Tin questioned. 

June looked at him strangely. “Were you living under a rock? Everybody around the world knows about the mythical Seven Guardians.” 

“Well, you see, I was-” 

“It’s fine, don’t explain yourself. Anyways, the Seven Guardians are seven mythical beings with the combined power to topple this kingdom. A single one could unroot a small kingdom. As for the one arriving here, her name is May, the Earth Guardian. She’s in charge of protecting this kingdom, the role being put on her by her elder brother, another guardian.” As she wrapped up her explanation, the room grew eerily quiet. Tin turned around and figured out why.

“Make way for Earth Guardian May’s arrival.” One of May’s assistants shouted. The assistant pushed everybody out of the way to form a walkway for May. Tin got up on his tiptoes to peer over everybody’s shoulder and get a glimpse of May. A thin caucasian lady with beautiful flowing emerald green hair and matching eyes. Her skin was snow-colored. She wore a bright and vivid pinkish-red floral dress. 

The only difference between June and May’s dresses was a small decoration on May’s dress with the ability to strip off the suffocating dress and reveal the lightweight armor she wore under it. Pieces of the gray steel peeped out of the neck of the dress, ensuring to all that she was a Guardian. 

May walked up to the king who sat on his throne. She kneeled in his presence. 

“My lord, I have returned.”

“Excellent.” He rose. “Enjoy the party, it’s in your honor.”

“I see, thank you, milord.” 

Tin could feel May’s power drifting towards him, nearly suffocating. He didn’t think his power would help him out in this situation. 

“So that’s a Guardian,” He heard Hitch say behind him. 

“That’s a Guardian.” He confirmed.

 

TBC…

Episode Eight "Bodyguard"

“New quest available. Do you accept?’ Announcer asked, popping in from out of nowhere. Tin raised his eyebrows. He hadn’t heard from the Announcer in such a long time. 

“Accept,”

“Quest details are that an assassination attempt will be taking place against the king. Prevent the assassin from killing the king. Failure will lead to punishment. Your rewards…” The Announcer’s voice shifted from his normal tone to bored. “... are money and titles or whatever.” His voice then faded from Tin’s head.

What a detailed explanation, he thought. Tin then left the siblings with June before leaving the room. Once outside of the room, he scanned his surroundings.

“If I’m right, then this is the Black Viper’s assassination attempt, but… that’s impossible. The Black Viper assassins don’t arrive until later in the game, so why are they here.” Tin muttered to himself.

Atlas Online followed an overpowered protagonist named Ryan who first embarked on his adventure from the small village of Cocoon. After leaving, Ryan met many of his future party members before arriving at Holy Sanctuary. He remained in the capital, growing stronger and stronger before a rock golem attacked. He one-shots the golem and gains the attention of the king, earning many favors with him. After a year, the king is then targeted by the Black Viper assassins, nearly killing him until Ryan’s love interest steps in the way. His love interest is killed, but the king is saved. Ryan then went on a revenge-stricken adventure, slaughtering every assassin until he was filled with despair and depression. After a series of short-lived adventurers, his love interest is revived and they live happily ever after until a dragon attacks the capital, destroying it. However, they all survive and rebuild the kingdom, ending the main campaign’s story. 

This is what Tin knew from the game, but he had no knowledge of Guardians, Announcer’s shift in tones, or the early appearance of deadly assassins. The world wasn’t following the same timeline that the game had. Tin knew this because he hadn’t seen Ryan or any of his comrades in the ball. They were nonexistent. 

Was his appearance shifting the game’s timeline? He didn’t know if it was. How could he know? 

“Tin?” Heather asked, poking her head out of the doors. “June is calling for you.”

“Thanks,” Tin whispered, following Heather back to June. Once he arrived, he noticed the siblings visibly shaken and many glares from nearby nobles.  

“You missed it,” June whispered. “They found out that they’re elves. I think you should leave before they form a mob or attack you.” 

“How did they find out?” He whispered back.

“The boy’s cap fell off. They all saw it. Leave now, I’ll cover you.” June told him. Tin couldn’t do so as he would fail the quest. He was unsure of the punishment, but, based on the game, it would be extremely awful.

“What are you doing, leave,” Heather whispered. “They’re going to eat you alive soon.” 

Tin hesitated, glancing at the siblings’ worried looks. After some moments of hesitation, Tin decided to leave. He accepted the quest, but wouldn’t be able to fulfill it. The siblings mattered more to him than the king. 

He grabbed the siblings’ hands and led them towards the door. However, as they reached the door, a voice boomed from the other side of the room.

“Wait! Come here!” The king’s voice boomed. “Let me see your faces.”

Tin stopped dead in his tracks, spinning on his heels. He sheepishly walked up to the king with the siblings in tow. 

“Yes, your majesty.’ He said while kneeling. The siblings kneeled next to him.

“What is your name, young man.”

“Tin,”

“Is it true that the children next to you are elves?”

Tin hesitated to answer. He couldn’t lie to the king, but confirming that they were elves would spell trouble for them. He needed an answer that was in a gray area, but it didn’t come to him in time.

“Yes,” He responded weakly.

“Slaves?”

“Legally, yes. However, I don’t treat them as such.” He explained. The king’s face softened. He stood up from his throne and ordered them to stand. They followed his order, looking at the king. 

“ Great, I-” 

Tin’s Tracker located the Black Viper assassin’s presence. He quickly got to work, brandishing Ashbringer. The royal guards surrounded the king, protecting him. However, they were protecting the king from Tin and not the assassin. Tin ignored them and threw Ashbringer at the ceiling above him. He took a step back and watched as the assassin fell through, Ashbringer piercing one of his legs. The king was shocked by the assassin’s presence. The royal guards, however, eliminated their moment of confusion and, instead, swarmed the assassin. The assassin couldn’t defend himself, being beaten to near-death by the guards. 

After a minute of beating, the king ordered them to take the assassin away for questioning. As for Tin, he was awarded praise from the king and May. They had returned to their spots of the throne and by its side. May looked giddy as she looked Tin up and down, analyzing him. The king, on the other hand, was still feeling a mix of shock and confusion. However, he understood one thing. Tin protected him. 

The Announcer granted him his reward, five gold coins. He accomplished his quest with relative ease.

“I’m surprised that you detected the assassin’s presence. I couldn’t do so myself.” May said.

“It’s as she said. You protected my life.” He then rose from his seat and walked over to Tin. “What shall serve as your reward?”

Tin opened his mouth, but no words left it. After debating his reward for a moment, he decided on one. 

“I want their safety ensured. Nobody can harm them.” Tin answered. The king was pleased with his answer.

“I’ll fulfill that reward. However, I will grant you another reward. You will work as my aid and bodyguard.”

“Bodyguard?” Tin repeated. “Am I fit to become your bodyguard.”

“Only time will tell.”

 

TBC…

Episode Nine "Dragon"

Tin followed the king to his meeting room, followed by the siblings. Once in the private chambers, the king sat the three down on empty chairs. He then sat down on his chair, sitting behind his desk. 

“Now that I’ve hired you, I must ask how you knew about the assassins.” The king asked.

“I apologize, your majesty, but I cannot.” Tin told him, bracing for a verbal attack. However, the attack never came. Instead, the king’s face softened; he nodded, looking around. 

“I see,” He muttered while stroking his chin. “I understand that there are certain situations concerning you. It seems like I’ll have to put my trust in you.” He then snapped his head to a drawer, pulling it and taking something out. It was a scroll. “This is a contract scroll. By signing this, you will, officially, work under me as my royal bodyguard. Once the contract is finalized, I will announce you as my bodyguard and the elven kids to